Marine Parks

Federal Labor is committed to the sustainable management of Australia’s marine resources and we are a strong defender and manager of our oceans and those who use it.

Labor is proud to have delivered the world’s largest marine reserve network. Under Labor the number of marine reserves has expanded from 27 (including the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park) to 60, covering more than a third of Commonwealth waters. This is the largest system of marine reserves in the world.

The comprehensive management plans, scrapped without Parliamentary scrutiny by the Abbott/Turnbull Government, would have secured the long-term conservation and sustainable use of Australia’s precious oceans. These plans were the culmination of more than 20 years of work that began under the Keating Government.

Now the Government has announced a six-month review process into the marine reserve system, nine months after it was promised. The Abbott/Turnbull Government never intended to protect our marine environment and now it will prolong the uncertainty by repeating a consultation process already comprehensively undertaken by Labor.

In developing the marine reserves, Labor spent four years establishing the science, conducting more than 250 public consultations and receiving more than 750,000 submissions.

Federal Labor has a proven track record of protecting the environment. We will continue to act to ensure the sustainable use of Australia’s precious marine resources.